Dispenser and seal



Jan. 18, 1955 w. B. CRANE 2,599,888

DISPENSER AND SEAL Filed Feb. 4, 1950 2 She ets-Sheet 1 ((194 701V 8.GER/V5,

IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 18, 1955 w. B. CRANE DISPENSER AND SEAL Filed Feb. 4, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Ian. 52 L w I50.

(00 ran 5. GER/J6,

IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent DISPENSER AND SEAL Walton B. Crane, Beverly Hills,Calif., assignor to Max Factor & Co., Hollywood, Calif., a corporationof Delaware Application February 4, 1950, Serial No. 142,459

9 Claims. (Cl. 222212) This invention relates to a dispenser and sealand is particularly directed to improvements in sealing structures forcontainers. This invention finds particular usefulness in connectionwith containers which are formed wholly or partly of a semiplasticmaterial, and which are commonly used for dispensing cosmeticpreparations such as creams, pastes and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved means for shuttingoff flow from a dispensing opening in a container, which container isformed wholly or partly of resilient semi-plastic material.

Another object is to provide a shut-off valve for such a device which isclosed by means of a nonresilient keeper element tensioned under forcesapplied by the resilient material.

Another object is to provide a relatively soft semiplastic container forcreams, pastes and the like, and on which a relatively rigid keeperelement is pivotally mounted for closing a shut-oft valve assemblythrough which the cream or paste is normally dispensed.

Another object is to provide a relatively soft semiplastic containerwhich may be squeezed manually to force the contents out through adischarge opening, and wherein the soft resilient nature of the materialof the container is employed for maintaining tension on a shut-off valveenclosing the discharge opening.

Another object is to provide an improved valve assembly for dispensingdevices, which valve assembly is economical to manufacture in quantityand which may be quickly and easily installed as a unit.

Other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showinga cosmetic dispenser embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 2-2 asshown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 33 asshown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the device asshown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an elevation showing the valve member prior to its assemblyin the valve seat member.

Figure 6 is an elevation partly in section showing a modified form of myinvention.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan View taken substantially on the lines 7-7as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 shows a further modified form of my invention employing asemi-soft resilient bottle cap mounted on a conventional glass bottle.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showing afurther modification.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 to 5, the container 10may be formed in the shape of a sphere for artistic appearance, and thematerial forming the sphere is preferably of relatively soft plasticnature which may be readily distorted under squeezing pressure exertedmanually. Containers of this type are commonly formed of polyethylene.Such containers are nonbreakable, light in weight, and afford aconvenient means of dispensing creams or pastes which do not flowreadily through a dispensing opening by gravity. The material formingthe wall of the container need not be of uniform thickness, and it ispreferred to provide one or more areas 11 which are relatively thincompared to the remaining portions of the wall of the container. Theserelatively thin portions are readily distorted under pressure applied bythe finger tips so as to force the contents of the container through asuitable dispensing opening.

In accordance with my invention, 1 provide a valve I assembly generallydesignated 12 having a central opening 13 through which the contents ofthe container may be expelled. The particular container illustrated isintended for use with cosmetic preparations such as, for example, creamsand pastes, but is not limited to such 10 use. The valve assembly 12includes a seat member 14 which is provided with the central opening 13,and a movable valve element 15 which extends through the opening 13. Thevalve member 15 is provided with a stem 16 having a head 17 on one endand an enlargement 18 on the other. A sealing surface 19 on the valvehead 17 is adapted to engage a corresponding sealing surface 20 formedon the seat member 14. The outer diameter of the enlargement 18 isslightly less than the diameter of the opening 13 to enable theprojection 18 to pass through the opening 13. The projection 18 is thenmashed or distorted to increase its lateral dimension so that it cannotreturn through the opening 13, and hence provides an abutment tomaintain the valve member 15 in assembled relation with respect to theseat memher 4.

The valve member 15 is assembled with respect to the seat member 14before the latter is installed on the container 10. The valve member 15and seat member 14 are then installed as a unit by forcing the seatmember 14 into an opening 21 provided in the wall of the container 10.

in order to facilitate installation of the valve assembly 12 upon thecontainer 10, the valve seat member 14 is provided with a plurality ofprongs 22 which are formed -,integrally with the body thereof. Each ofthe prongs is provided with a taper portion 23 and a shoulder 24. Theseat member 14 is installed by pushing it into the opening 21. The tapersurfaces 23 on the prongs 22 permit installation of the seat member 14.When the mating surfaces 25 on the seat member and container 10 engage,the prongs expand outwardly so that the shoulders 24 underlie a portionof the inner surface of the container 10. The seat member 14 is thusanchored securely in place.

Means are provided for applying a closing force to the valve member 15,and as shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings this means includes akeeper ring 26 having integrally formed trunnions 27 at opposite sidesthereof. These trunnions extend radially inwardly and are receivedwithin recesses 28 provided in the wall container 10. The ring 26 isthus pivotally mounted in the container 10. A contact piece 29 isprovided on the keeper ring 26 for engagement with the head 17 of themovable valve element 15. The proportions of the parts are such that theresilient material forming the container 10 must be distorted undercompression in order for the contact piece 29 to reach a position overthe valve head 17. The distorted material is thus stressed by the keeperring 26 and the stress exerts a force on the valve 15 resilientlymaintaining it in closed position against the seat member 14. It will beunderstood from this description that the inherent resilience of thesoft semi-plastic material of the container is employed in connectionwith the relatively rigid keeper ring to maintain the valve in closedposition.

The force on the valve tending to maintain it in closed position insuresthat leakage of contents of the container shall be prevented and itfurther acts to prevent entrance of air into the interior of thecontainer. Cosmetic preparations which dry out upon exposure to airtherefore may be kept indefinitely in a container having the sealingdevice just described.

When it is desired to expel a part of the contents of the container, thekeeper ring 26 is swung about its pivot trunnion 27 so that the contactpiece 29 is moved away from the valve head 27. The weakened area 11 thenmay be squeezed manually to pressurize the contents of'the container andcause such contents ot pass outwardly through the opening 13 in thevalve seat member 14. The 80 enlargement 18. on the end of the valvestem 16 does not impede flow because of its reduced thickness in oneplane,

as shown in Figure 3. The contents of the container pass outwardlythrough the opening 13 between the valve seat 20 and the surface 19 onthe valve head. While flow is taking place outwardly through the opening13, the movable valve member 15 assumes the position shown in dottedlines in Figure 4.

When it is again desired to seal the outlet port of the container, thekeeper ring 26 is returned to the position shown in Figure 2, with thecontact piece 29 directly f,

over the valve head 17. The contact piece 29 may be provided with acentral detent 30 for engaging the upper surface of the valve head. Thekeeper ring 26 is preferably formed of a relatively rigid nonresilientmaterial such as, or example, a methyl methacrylate. a circular footing31 may be provided on the otherwise spherical container in order that itmay rest on a level surface without rolling.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the shapeof the container 50 is not spherical, but is oval in cross section anddiminishes in size from the relative large base 51 toward the upper endof the container. The container 50 is preferably formed of relativelysoft resilient plastic material similar to that I material of the screwcap 71 located between the open- If desired,

previously described. The valve assembly 12a is substantially the sameas that described above and includes the movable valve element 15a. Thevalve assembly 12a is secured to the upper end of the container in amanner similar to that described above. Instead of a keeper ring, akeeper element 26a is employed which may be fastened to simulate anydesired artistic design. The keeper element 26a is provided withinwardly directed trunnions 27a, received within recesses 28a providedin the wall of the material forming the container 50. The keeper element26a is also provided with a contact piece 29a which engages the head ofthe valve element 15a to maintain it in closed position. The springinessor resilience of the upper portion 52 of the container 50 lying betweenthe recesses 28a and the valve assembly 12a serves to provide a forcetending to hold the valve 15a in a closed position. Thus, the upperportion of the soft semiplastic container maintains tension on therelatively rigid keeper 26a to maintain the valve assembly in closedposition.

In the modified form of my invention, shown in Figure 8, an ordinaryglass bottle 60 is provided with a screw cap 61 formed of relativelysoft resilient plastic material similar to that described above. The cap61 is provided with a central outlet port 62 through which a movablevalve element 63 extends. The upper end of the valve element 63 isformed as a ball 64 and the lower end comprises an enlarged lug 65 whichpermits disassembly of the valve with respect to the cap. A relativelyrigid nonresilient keeper 26b is pivoted to the cap 61 by means oftrunnions 271) which engage Within the openings 28b provided in the cap61. When the keeper 26b is in the position shown in Figure 8, therelatively soft resilient semiplastic material of the cap locatedbetween the openings 23b and the upper end of the cap is distorted undercompression so that the ball 64 is maintained resiliently upon thecooperating seat 66. The contents of the conventional glass bottle 60cannot be expelled by squeezing the bottle and therefore the passagearea through the port 62 must be relatively larger than that describedin connection with the other forms of my invention. When the keeper 26bis pivoted to an inoperative position, the contents of the glass bottle60 flow by gravity outward through the port 62. The advantage of thisparticular embodiment of my invention is that it may be employed inconnection with standard bottles or other containers which are readilyavailable in quantity at low cost.

In the further modification shown in Figure 9, the ordinary glass bottle70 is provided with a screw cap 71 formed of relatively soft resilientplastic material similar to that described above. The cap 71 is providedwith a central outlet port 72 and a pair of radially extending alignedopenings 280. A relatively rigid nonresilient keeper 260 is pivoted tothe cap 71 by means of trunnions 270 which engage within the openings280 provided in the screw cap 71. A central protuberance 73 on thekeeper 260 is adapted to engage a seating surface 74 provided on thescrew cap 71 adjacent the outlet of the port 72. When the keeper 260 isin the position shown in Figure 9 the relatively soft resilientsemi-plastic ings 28c and the upper end of the cap is distorted undercompression so that the protuberance 73 is maintained resiliently uponthe cooperating seat 74. When the keeper 260 is pivoted to aninoperative position the contents of the glass bottle 70 flow by gravityoutward through the port 72.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container assembly having at least a portion thereof formed of arelatively soft resilient material, said portion having an openingextending therethrough, a valve assembly including a movable valveelement mounted in said opening to confine the contents of the containerassembly against escape, a relatively rigid nonresilient keeper pivotedon said resilient portion of the container assembly exteriorly thereof,the keeper being adapted to engage the movable valve element andmaintain it in closed position, the parts being so proportioned that theresilient material is distorted from its free unstressed condition whenthe keeper engages the valve element, whereby a closing force is appliedby the container material through the keeper to maintain the valveassembly in closed position.

2. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container assembly having at least a portion thereof formed of arelatively soft resilient material, said portion having an openingextending therethrough, and having a pair of recesses formed in theouter surface thereof, a valve assembly including a movable valveelement mounted in said opening to confine the contents of the containerassembly against escape, a relatively rigid nonresilient keeper havingtrunnions pivoted on said recesses in the resilient portion of thecontainer assembly, the keeper being adapted to engage the movable valveelement and maintain it in closed position, the parts being soproportioned that the resilient material is distorted from its freeunstressed condition when the keep er engages the valve element, so thatthe valve element is subjected to a closing force by the keeper.

3. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container assembly having at least a portion thereof formed of arelatively soft resilient material, said portion having an openingextending therethrough, a unitary valve assembly including a movablevalve element mounted in a passage in a seat member, the seat memberbeing secured in said opening, a relatively rigid non-resilient keeperpivoted on said resilient portion of the container assembly exteriorlythereof, the keeper being adapted to engage the movable valve elementand maintain it in closed position against the seat member, the partsbeing so proportioned that the resilient material is distorted from itsfree unstressed condition when the keeper engages the valve element, sothat the valve element is subjected to a closing force by the keeper.

4. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container formed of a relatively soft resilient material, thecontainer having an opening in a wall thereof, a valve assemblyincluding a movable valve element mounted in said opening to confine thecontents of the container against escape, the container yielding undersqueezing force applied manually to expel a portion of its contentsthrough the valve assembly, a relatively rigid non-resilient keeperpivotally mounted upon the container, the keeper being adapted to engagethe movable valve element and maintain it in closed position, theresilient material of the container being distorted from its freeunstressed condition when the keeper engages the valve element, wherebya closing force is applied by the container material through the keeperto maintain the valve assembly in closed position.

5. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container formed of a relatively soft resilient material, thecontainer having an opening in a wall thereof and being provided with apair of aligned recesses in its outer surface, a valve assemblyincluding a movable valve element mounted in said opening to confine thecontents of the container against escape, the container yielding undersqueezing force applied manually to expel a portion of its contentsthrough the valve assembly a relatively rigid nonresilient keeper havingaligned trunnions, the trunnions being received in said recesses toprovide a pivoted mounting for the keeper upon the container, the keeperbeing adapted to engage the movable valve element and maintain it inclosed position, the resilient material of the container being distortedfrom its free unstressed condition when the keeper engages the valveelement, whereby a closing force is applied by the container materialthrough the keeper to maintain the valve assembly in closed position.

6. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container formed of resilient polyethylene plastic material, thecontainer having an opening in a wall thereof, a unitary valve assemblyincluding a movable valve element mounted in a passage in a relativelyrigid nonresilient seat member, the seat member being secured in saidopening, the container yielding under squeezing force applied manuallyto expel a portion of its contents through the valve passage, arelatively rigid nonresilient keeper pivotally mounted upon thecontainer, the keeper being adapted to engage the movable valve elementand maintain it in closed position against the seat member, theresilient polyethylene material of the container being distorted fromits free unstressed condition when the keeper engages the valve element,whereby a closing force is applied by the container material through thekeeper to maintain the valve assembly in closed position.

7. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container formed of a relatively soft resilient material, thecontainer having an opening in a wall thereof and being provided with apair of aligned recesses in its outer surface, a unitary valve assemblyincluding a movable valve element mounted in a passage in a relativelyrigid nonresilient seat member, the seat member being secured in saidopening, the container yielding under squeezing force applied manuallyto expel a portion of its contents through the valve passage, arelatively rigid nonresilient keeper having aligned trunnions, thetrunnions being received in said recesses to provide a pivoted mountingfor the keeper upon the container, the keeper being adapted to engagethe movable valve element and maintain it in closed position against theseat member, the resilient material of the container being distortedfrom its free unstressed condition when the keeper engages the valveelement, whereby a closing force is applied by the container materialthrough the keeper to maintain the valve assembly in closed position.

8. In a dispenser for liquids, creams and the like, the combination of:a container formed of a relatively soft resilient material, thecontainer having an opemng in a wall thereof and being provided with apair of aligned recesses in its outer surface, a valve assemblyincluding a movable valve element mounted in said opening to confine thecontents of the container against escape, the container yielding undersqueezing force applied manually to expel a portion of its contentsthrough the valve assembly, a relatively rigid nonresilient keepercomprising a circular ring completely encircling the container andhaving aligned trunnions, the trunnions being received in said recessesto provide a pivoted mounting for the keeper upon the container, thekeeper being adapted to engage the movable valve element and maintain itin closed position, the resilient material of the container beingdistorted from its free unstressed condition when the keeper engages thevalve element, whereby a closing force is applied by the containermaterial through the keeper to maintain the valve assembly in closedposition.

9. In a dispenser for liquid, creams and the like, the combination of: ahollow spherical container formed of a relatively soft resilientmaterial, the container having a weakened area capable of readydepression, a discharge opening, and a pair of diametrically disposedjournalled recesses disposed approximately from said outlet opening; avalve assembly including a movable valve element mounted in said openingto confine the contents of the container against escape, said containerbeing yieldable under squeezing force applied at said weakened areathereby to expel a portion of its contents through the valve assembly; arelatively rigid non-resilient keeper ring having diametrically disposedtrunnions journalled in said recesses whereby said keeper ring may pivotacross said valve element, there being means on said keeper ring toengage said valve element and maintain it in a closed position, theresilient material of said container being distortable from its freeunstressed condition when said valve element is engaged by said meanswhereby a closing force is applied by the container material to maintainthe valve assembly in its closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS886,984 Jopling May 5, 1908 1,771,545 Melvin July 29, 1130 1,861,483Simpson June 7, 1932 1,867,182 Sicault July 12, 1932 1,868,821 FullerJuly 26, 1932 2,132,735 Huston Oct. 11, 1938 2,143,263 Fisher Jan. 10,1939 2,543,432 Boxer Feb. 27, 1951

